‘Mobility Work’ as Part of Fitness Program Enhances Athletic Performance and Overall Health: Try These 5 Exercises!

Adding movement exercises to your fitness routine can make you healthier and help you do better in sports.

Mobility means moving your joints through their full range of motion quickly. Flexibility, on the other hand, is mostly about making your muscles longer.

Mobility Work’ as Part of Fitness Program Enhances Athletic Performance and Overall Health — (Photo: Unsplash/Michael DeMoya)

Why Mobility Work is Important

Static stretching can make you more flexible, but it doesn't always help with the most essential thing: joint movement. On the other hand, mobility workouts focus on moving your joints through their full range of motion, which is necessary for sports and everyday life.

For example, sports like basketball and tennis that require quick changes of direction or deep moves depend heavily on joint mobility to prevent muscles and joints from getting strained. Samantha Smith, an assistant professor of clinical orthopedics and therapy at the Yale School of Medicine, stresses the importance of flexible joints for moving well and avoiding injury.

In 2024, the Journal of Sports Sciences published a systematic review examining 22 studies on different mobility methods, such as dance, Pilates, yoga, and dynamic stretching. The review found that mobility work significantly improves health and athletic ability.

Static stretching means staying in one place for a certain amount of time, while mobility activities focus on moving joints in a dynamic way. These exercises improve synovial fluid production, muscle elasticity, and neuromuscular coordination. This makes moving more efficient, increases agility, and lowers the risk of getting hurt.

Mobility exercises are also good for mental health because they improve proprioception, which is your sense of where your body is in space. Being more aware generally enhances posture, coordination, and body control.

A research professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland named David Behm says that too much static stretching without any dynamic exercises can hurt athletic performance. He supports a balanced method, including static and dynamic stretching, to prevent performance drops.

5 Mobility Workouts You Need to Do Right Now to Improve Your Health

It is unnecessary to spend much time adding mobility workouts to your daily routine. David Behm says you should try to have at least three short weekly practices. The most important thing is to be consistent; daily movement training twice or thrice a week works great.

World's Greatest Stretch

At the start, do a high plank.
Move your right foot before your right hand to do a deep stretch.
With your right hand raised and bent at the elbow, stretch your left arm toward the mat.
Turn your back to the right and reach your right hand to the sky.
Do 8-10 reps on each side.

90/90 Hip Switch

Sit with your knees bent 90 degrees and your legs wider than your hips.
Move your knees back and forth, and keep your feet on the floor.
Keep your back straight and focus on moving your hips.
Do six reps on each side.

Cat-Cows

Place your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees below your hips to begin.
Pull your belly button close to your spine as you breathe in and curve your lower back into a "cow" shape.
Hold for two to three seconds, then arch your back and look up to move into the "cat" pose.
Wait two to three seconds.
Do eight reps in each position.

Downward Dog Hip Opener

Start by getting into a plank.
To get into a downward dog position, push back.
Bring your left knee to your chest and lift it up and back.
Let your left foot fall toward your right glute as you open your hip.
Turn the movement around to get back to the beginning.
Do eight reps on the other side.

Half Kneeling Adductor Rock

Begin by putting your right knee on the ground and your left leg on the side.
Put your hands on your front and move your left foot out to the left.
Move your hips backward and put your weight on the right foot.
Hold for one to two seconds, then move back to the middle.
Do this 8-12 times on each side, making the range bigger with each repeat.

Mobility work is essential for health and for doing well in sports. Adding these five workouts to your routine will help your joints move better, lower your risk of injury, and make your movements more efficient. Whether you're an athlete or want to feel better, adding these five workouts to your fitness routine can make a big difference. Remember that regularity is essential. For the best results, try to do mobility training every day.